Red Wing's upset of Richfield highlights return of parity in semifinal action

If there was any disappointment you could pinpoint on Hopkins in their 72-50 win over Osseo in the class AAAA semifinal Thursday night, it was a lack of spirit that seemingly stems from their dominance.While Hopkins (30-1) brought their band and cheerleaders to the festivities, not a single student could be found in the school's student section. The Royals have encountered that problem throughout their magnificent run in the last three seasons, and women's basketball in general has yet to fully eclipse the barrier where dynasties are revered, not ignored.The empty seats did not bother Hopkins, although their highly expected runaway had to wait until the second half in a rematch of last year's class AAAA championship. Issues that affected the Royals in Wednesday's quarterfinal win returned on Thursday, including slow starts for Northwestern recruit Nia Coffey.Osseo (22-9) even held the lead for a brief moment, but Hopkins floored them with their patented pressure defense in the second half. Coffey finished with 20 points and eight rebounds, with Erin O'Toole adding 16 points and eight rebounds. Most of O'Toole's scoring came in the first half while she was engaged in battle with Osseo's Ayo Porte in the post.Janay Morton led the Orioles with 14 points.If DeLaSalle needed more evidence to prove they were the front-runners to win another class AAA state tournament, despite being seeded second, recent performances from their underclassmen suggests long-term stability for the Islanders after seniors Tyseanna Johnson and Allina Starr graduate.DeLaSalle throttled Monticello 67-42 at Target Center, overcoming a rough start to set up a duel with Red Wing for the class AAA championship Saturday. Sophomore Patiance Griffin nested behind the three-point line for most of the contest and capitalized on their kick-outs, making 6 of 11 attempts behind the arc for 18 points to lead the Islanders (27-4)."The drive-and-dish, just giving me the opportunities they believed I deserved," Griffin said. "If we just depend on two players, we can't get it done."DeLaSalle got it done on ball control, scoring 34 points off 27 Monticello (25-6) turnovers. When Griffin wasn't knocking down treys, anchors like Johnson hit the paint after a rocky start, giving the Islanders a 36-18 edge down low."I just have to be more focused. It wasn't anyone else, it was just me," she said.Johnson had 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Starr added 17 points and seven assists.Grace Sawatzke led Monticello in scoring with 13 points.Parity returned in a thrilling semifinal battle in class AAA, with Red Wing continuing their upset bid in a 61-59 victory at Target Center.Red Wing (23-7) persevered three players on their roster fouling out, including top scorer Tesha Buck. They entered the tournament unseeded (the Minnesota State High School League does not slot teams beyond the fifth seed) and proved their mettle after starting the state tournament run with a win over New Prague.Most impressive in the victory was Red Wing holding together when Buck missed action; she left midway through the first half after tweaking her knee, and was disqualified after picking up her fifth personal foul with 3:01 left in the second half."It's never easy being on the bench, but I had faith in my team. I knew they would take care of business," Buck said.Richfield (26-4) aided that process, committing 21 turnovers, including several late miscues late in the second half. DePaul-bound Jessica January put up 29 points and 12 rebounds, but in the late stages, she attempted to carry her top-seeded Spartans solo, a strategy she preferred to deflect throughout the season in order to prevent opponents from collapsing on her. The switch backfired, as January hit only 9 of 27 shots.After a seemingly endless series of free throws between both teams, McKenzie Muelken bricked a second free throw with 5.7 seconds left, giving Richfield one last chance with the score at 61-59. January drove to the basket against a double-team, but kicked out to MacKinsey Schramm. Her three-pointer was off the mark, but the shot appeared to be late anyway.Buck finished with 18 points, and Macy Kelly added 13 points and 12 rebounds. Red Wing made 27 of 36 free throws, and fulfilled a proclamation made by head coach Dave Muelken prior to the tournament's beginning."I said if we get to Saturday night, I'm running (sprints) with you guys. I'll run them with a smile on my face," he said.View the list »
Jessica January's pull-up jumper was on cue early, but the Richfield senior faded late in her attempt to shoulder her teammates, and Richfield would fall to Red Wing in the biggest upset of semifinal action.

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Parity, a non-existent concept in last year's high school girls basketball state tournament, returned with a furor in Thursday's semifinal action at Target Center.

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The contests were far more compelling, including a brutal, yet dazzling, upset bid from Red Wing in class AAA. Taking a stand against Richfield, the top seed in the class, Red Wing jumped out to a 35-25 lead late in the first half, then withstood a Richfield run fueled by Jessica January to pull out a 61-59 win.

Richfield was the second seeded team Red Wing defeated in the state tournament to reach the championship game on Saturday, with third-seed New Prague falling in the quarterfinal round.

The AAA championship, featuring Red Wing and DeLaSalle, could be the most emotional of Saturday's finals. Close friends Tyseanna Johnson, from DeLaSalle, and Red Wing's Tesha Buck will end their high school career playing against each other. The two bonded quickly from their time on the North Tartan AAU organization and often support each other in their athletic endeavors.

Both schools are making their third consecutive appearance in the state tournament. Red Wing has never won a class AAA crown, while DeLaSalle seeks its third straight title and eighth overall for head coach Faith Johnson-Patterson.

Drama will seep its way in the class AAAA championship as well. For the first time in several years, Hopkins is legitimately vulnerable, but remain a strong contender to take home a third consecutive title in the state's biggest division for basketball. However, rocky starts against St. Michael-Albertville in the quarterfinal round and Osseo in the semifinal will offer plenty of tape for Bloomington Kennedy to study before Saturday.

Kennedy has longed for another shot at Hopkins after their lone regular season meeting in November. Although the AAAA title game will pit the first and second-seeded teams for the trophy, a win could revive interest that has sagged in a combination of overwhelming dominance and low intramural support for the Hopkins girls program.

"Nothing's going to be close. Nothing's going to be easy. If we go out there and play our hardest, I know we'll come out on top," said Kennedy senior Jade Martin.

2013 marked Kennedy's third state tournament appearance in school history. In each trip, the Eagles have advanced to the championship round.

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  • Parity returned in a thrilling semifinal battle in class AAA, with Red Wing continuing their upset bid in a 61-59 victory at Target Center.Red Wing (23-7) persevered three players on their roster fouling out, including top scorer Tesha Buck. They entered the tournament unseeded (the Minnesota State High School League does not slot teams beyond the fifth seed) and proved their mettle after starting the state tournament run with a win over New Prague.Most impressive in the victory was Red Wing holding together when Buck missed action; she left midway through the first half after tweaking her knee, and was disqualified after picking up her fifth personal foul with 3:01 left in the second half."It's never easy being on the bench, but I had faith in my team. I knew they would take care of business," Buck said.Richfield (26-4) aided that process, committing 21 turnovers, including several late miscues late in the second half. DePaul-bound Jessica January put up 29 points and 12 rebounds, but in the late stages, she attempted to carry her top-seeded Spartans solo, a strategy she preferred to deflect throughout the season in order to prevent opponents from collapsing on her. The switch backfired, as January hit only 9 of 27 shots.After a seemingly endless series of free throws between both teams, McKenzie Muelken bricked a second free throw with 5.7 seconds left, giving Richfield one last chance with the score at 61-59. January drove to the basket against a double-team, but kicked out to MacKinsey Schramm. Her three-pointer was off the mark, but the shot appeared to be late anyway.Buck finished with 18 points, and Macy Kelly added 13 points and 12 rebounds. Red Wing made 27 of 36 free throws, and fulfilled a proclamation made by head coach Dave Muelken prior to the tournament's beginning."I said if we get to Saturday night, I'm running (sprints) with you guys. I'll run them with a smile on my face," he said.
  • If DeLaSalle needed more evidence to prove they were the front-runners to win another class AAA state tournament, despite being seeded second, recent performances from their underclassmen suggests long-term stability for the Islanders after seniors Tyseanna Johnson and Allina Starr graduate.DeLaSalle throttled Monticello 67-42 at Target Center, overcoming a rough start to set up a duel with Red Wing for the class AAA championship Saturday. Sophomore Patiance Griffin nested behind the three-point line for most of the contest and capitalized on their kick-outs, making 6 of 11 attempts behind the arc for 18 points to lead the Islanders (27-4)."The drive-and-dish, just giving me the opportunities they believed I deserved," Griffin said. "If we just depend on two players, we can't get it done."DeLaSalle got it done on ball control, scoring 34 points off 27 Monticello (25-6) turnovers. When Griffin wasn't knocking down treys, anchors like Johnson hit the paint after a rocky start, giving the Islanders a 36-18 edge down low."I just have to be more focused. It wasn't anyone else, it was just me," she said.Johnson had 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Starr added 17 points and seven assists.Grace Sawatzke led Monticello in scoring with 13 points.
  • If there was any disappointment you could pinpoint on Hopkins in their 72-50 win over Osseo in the class AAAA semifinal Thursday night, it was a lack of spirit that seemingly stems from their dominance.While Hopkins (30-1) brought their band and cheerleaders to the festivities, not a single student could be found in the school's student section. The Royals have encountered that problem throughout their magnificent run in the last three seasons, and women's basketball in general has yet to fully eclipse the barrier where dynasties are revered, not ignored.The empty seats did not bother Hopkins, although their highly expected runaway had to wait until the second half in a rematch of last year's class AAAA championship. Issues that affected the Royals in Wednesday's quarterfinal win returned on Thursday, including slow starts for Northwestern recruit Nia Coffey.Osseo (22-9) even held the lead for a brief moment, but Hopkins floored them with their patented pressure defense in the second half. Coffey finished with 20 points and eight rebounds, with Erin O'Toole adding 16 points and eight rebounds. Most of O'Toole's scoring came in the first half while she was engaged in battle with Osseo's Ayo Porte in the post.Janay Morton led the Orioles with 14 points.
  • The most anticipated contest of Thursday's semifinals was Bloomington Kennedy and Eastview in class AAAA. The two teams are conference foes in the South Suburban and split the regular season series, often trading spots in the top five for state rankings throughout the season.In a highly tactical battle, Kennedy pulled through for a 43-39 win at Target Center, setting up a rematch with Hopkins for the class AAAA title. Kennedy (28-3) had a chance to win in their November meeting, but turnovers and lack of chemistry with new head coach Quinton Johnson allowed Hopkins to squeeze out a 65-61 win.Now, the Eagles have a higher comprehension and trust in Johnson's system, resulting in the most disciplined squad in several years.Shots misfired everywhere in the first half, with Kennedy leading 16-14 at halftime."My shot was off, so I was just trying to get to the basket," said Kennedy senior forward Jade Martin. "We just trusted each other. If we play good on defense, we can get it done."In the second, Kennedy pulled away late thanks to a sound interior defense, with the Martin sisters hooking up to disrupt any inside attacks.The strategy increase pressure on Eastview (28-3) guard Madison Guebert, who could only muster three of 15 shots. She did get a game-high 19 points thanks to the free throw line.Jade Martin led Kennedy with 11 points, with her eighth grade sister Jasmyn swatting four blocks."That was our main goal, to get in the paint. We knew that's how he would win," Jasmyn Martin said.The class AAAA championship will renew a short-lived rivalry from the last decade, with Hopkins and Kennedy splitting championships in 2005 and 2006. The Eagles have not won a title since 2005.
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, St. Paul Sports Examiner

Mike Peden, a writer and video producer, contributes written and digital stories for sports and autism news. His beats include the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx, the Minnesota Swarm of the NLL, and University of Minnesota basketball. You can also find him as a play-by-play commentator for various state...

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